Exhibit 10.9

                 AMENDMENT NO. 8 TO LOAN AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

                            THE SCOTSMAN GROUP, INC.
                             8211 Town Center Drive
                            Baltimore, Maryland 21236



                               September 30, 1996


Congress Financial Corporation
1133 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036

Gentlemen:

          Congress Financial  Corporation,  a California  corporation  (together
with its  successors  and assigns,  "Lender")  and The Scotsman  Group,  Inc., a
Maryland corporation (together with its successors and assigns, "Borrower") have
entered  into  certain  financing  arrangements  as set  forth  in the  Loan and
Security Agreement,  dated as of December 16, 1993, between Lender and Borrower,
as amended  pursuant to Amendment  No. 1 to Loan and Security  Agreement,  dated
June 15,  1994,  Amendment  No. 2 to Loan and  Security  Agreement,  dated as of
September 14, 1994, Amendment No. 3 to Loan and Security Agreement,  dated March
24, 1995, Amendment No. 4 to Loan and Security Agreement,  dated as of March 28,
1995,  Amendment  No. 5 to Loan and  Security  Agreement,  dated as of August 1,
1995,  Amendment No. 6 to Loan and Security  Agreement,  dated as of October 13,
1995 and Amendment No. 7 to Loan and Security Agreement, dated as of January 30,
1996  (as  amended  hereby  and as the same may be  further  amended,  modified,
supplemented, extended, renewed, restated or replaced, the "Loan Agreement", and
together with all  agreements,  documents and  instruments  at any time executed
and/or delivered in connection therewith or related thereto,  collectively,  the
"Financing Agreements").

          Borrower has requested  that the rate of interest  payable by Borrower
to Lender be decreased effective October 1, 1996, and Lender is willing to agree
to such decrease,  subject to the terms and conditions contained herein. By this
Amendment, Lender and Borrower desire and intend to evidence such amendment.

          In  consideration  of the foregoing and the  agreements  and covenants
contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

          Definitions.

          1.  Amendment  to  Definition.  Subject  to the terms  and  conditions
contained  herein,  effective as of October 1, 1996,  all references to the term
"Interest Rate" in the Loan Agreement and the other Financing  Agreements  shall
be deemed and each such reference is hereby amended to mean, as to Prime Rate


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Loans, a rate of one-quarter (.25%)percent per annum in excess of the Prime Rate
and, as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, a rate of two and one-half (2.50%) percent per
annum in excess of the Adjusted  Eurodollar  Rate (based on the Eurodollar  Rate
applicable for the Interest  Period  selected by Borrower as in effect three (3)
Business Days after the date of receipt by Lender of the request of Borrower for
such  Eurodollar  Rate Loans in accordance  with the terms hereof,  whether such
rate is higher or lower than any rate previously quoted to Borrower);  provided,
that, (a) the Interest Rate shall mean the rate of two and one quarters  (2.25%)
percent  per annum in excess of the Prime  Rate as to Prime  Rate  Loans and the
rate of four and  one-half  (4.50%)  percent per annum in excess of the Adjusted
Eurodollar Rate as to Eurodollar Rate Loans, at Lender's option, without notice,
(i) for the period on and after the date of termination  or non-renewal  hereof,
or the date of the  occurrence of any Event of Default,  and for so long as such
Event of Default is continuing or until such time as all  Obligations  are fully
and finally paid and satisfied  (notwithstanding  entry of any judgment  against
Borrower) and (ii) on the Loans at any time outstanding in excess of the amounts
available to borrower under Sections 2.1, 2.2 or 2.3, as applicable  (whether or
not such  excess(es),  arise or are made with or without  Lender's  knowledge or
consent  and  whether  made  before  or after an Event of  Default)  and (b) the
amendment to the  definition of the term "Interest  Rate" as to Eurodollar  Rate
Loans  provided for herein shall only be effective as to  Eurodollar  Rate Loans
requested by Borrower after October 1, 1996.

                1.2   Interpretation.   All  capitalized   terms  used  in  this
Amendment,  unless otherwise defined herein,  shall have the respective meanings
assigned thereto in the Loan Agreement.

          2. Conditions to Effectiveness.  The amendment  contained herein shall
be effective October 1, 1996,  provided,  that, (a) no Event of Default, or act,
condition or event which with notice or passage of time or both would constitute
an Event of Default  shall  exist or have  occurred  and (b)  Lender  shall have
received an original of this Amendment, duly authorized,  executed and delivered
by Borrower and Mobile.

          3. Effect of this Amendment.  Except as modified  pursuant hereto,  no
other  changes or  modifications  to the  Financing  Agreements  are intended or
implied,  and  in  all  other  respects  the  Financing  Agreements  are  hereby
specifically  ratified,  restated and confirmed by all parties  hereto as of the
effective  date  hereof.  To the extent of  conflict  between  the terms of this
Amendment and the other Financing Agreements,  the terms of this Amendment shall
control.  The Loan Agreement and this  Amendment  shall be read and construed as
one agreement.

          4. Further  Assurances.  The parties  hereto shall execute and deliver
such additional documents and take such additional action as may be necessary or


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desirable to effectuate the provisions and purposes of this Amendment.

          5. Governing Law. The rights and obligations  hereunder of each of the
parties hereto shall be governed by and interpreted and determined in accordance
with the internal  laws (as opposed to the conflicts of law  provisions)  of the
State of New York.

          6. Binding  Effect.  This Amendment shall be binding upon and inure to
the benefit of each of the parties  hereto and their  respective  successors and
assigns.

          7. Headings.  The headings listed herein are for convenience  only and
do not constitute matters to be construed in interpreting this Letter Agreement.

          8.  Counterparts.  This  Amendment  may be  executed  in any number of
counterparts, but all of such counterparts shall together constitute but one and
the same agreement. In making proof of this Amendment, it shall not be necessary
to produce or account for more than one  counterpart  thereof  signed by each of
the parties hereto.

          Please sign the enclosed  counterpart  of this  Amendment in the space
provided below, whereupon this Amendment, as so accepted by Lender, shall become
a binding agreement between Borrow and Lender.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       THE SCOTSMAN GROUP, INC.



                                       By:    /s/Gerald E. Keefe
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Gerald E. Keefe
                                       Title: Vice President Fleet & Finance


AGREED:

CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION


By:    /s/Lawrence S. Forte
       -----------------------------
       Lawrence S. Forte
Title: Vice President


ACKNOWLEDGED AND AGREED:

MOBILE FIELD OFFICE COMPANY


By:    /s/John B. Ross
       -----------------------------
       John B. Ross
Title: Secretary



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